Carrying case



17, 1965 w. J. DE CHELBOR 3,200,988

CARRYING CASE Filed Oct. 31, 1960 3 Sheets-$heet 1 HVVENTOR.

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United States Patent 3,200,988 CARRYING CASE William J. de Chelbor,Chicago, 111., assignor to Novo Industrial Corporation, New York, N.Y.,a corporation of New York Filed Oct. 31, 196i), Ser. No. 66,025 2Claims. (til. 220-97) lateral and the rib 36 being longitudinal. FIGURE2 shows one fourth or one quadrant of the base 12, and it should beunderstood that the other three sections of the base are identical.

In carrying cases of this type, it has heretofore been the practice toprovide a number of nubs of projections on the bottom of the base whichinterlock with the bottle tops on the next lower case when the cases arestacked, one upon the other. There was a sufiicient number of nubs orprojections so that each and every one of the bottles in a particularcase interlocked with the bottom of the above case. In effect, a numberof these cases, when stacked, formed a rigid column even though therecould be some movement by the bottles when so positioned. The result ofthis column effect was that it was comparatively easy for an entirestack of cases to tip Another purpose is a carrying case of the typedescribed FIGURE 4 is a section showing two empty cases stacked one uponthe other.

in FIGURE 1, a carrying case has been indicated generally at 10 and mayinclude a base 12 surrounded by sides or a body 14. The bodymay bedivided into two U-shaped sections 16 which may be similar and may beformed around the base in a manner set forth in my copendingapplication, Serial No. 852,853, filed November 13, 1959. Partitions 18may be used to divide the interior of the carrying case into sections,and as shown in FIGURE 1, there may be four sections each of which willcarry a six pack of pop bottles. The partitions are merely for purposesof illustration and form no part of the present invention. The inventivefeatures herein are applicable to any carrying case, whether it bedivided into six pack sections, eight pack sections or into twentyfourindividual bottle sections.

The body sections 16 are generally U-shaped, and in assembly are broughtin from opposite sides and connected around handles 20 in the center ofthe ends, in a manner set forth in the above copending application. Thesides are preferably made of light gauge metal and the lower edges 22may form a flange which contains the base 12.

In order to reinforce the sides adjacent the handles, the upper portionof the sides, above the handles, are inwardly recessed, as at 21.Accordingly, the sides adjacent and above the handles are somewhatstronger than other portions of the body.

The base 12 is preferably formed of a grill or grid made of diagonalplastic struts 24. The entire base or bottom is plastic and is connectedto the sides or body by the flange 22 which is rolled around the edgesof the base, as at 23 in FIGURE 47 Spacers 19 may be mounted on the base12 and extend up along sides adjacent the handles 20. The spacersposition the bottles or packs of bottles within the carrying case andmay be integral with the base. The outer peripheray of the base has achannel 26 defined by parallel ribs 28 and 30. The channel 26 is dividedinto a number of segments by cross ribs 32. There may be two main crosssupporting ribs 34 and 36 which reinforce the base, the rib 34 beingwill not be interlocked with the next above case.

over. Any slight misalignment or any external force such as a push onany one of the cases would start that case tipping which in turn wouldpull the whole column of cases over. Naturally, this resulted in aconsiderable amount of bottle breakage and made the carrying casesunacceptable.

To overcome this defect, it is proposed to interlock only the centerbottles in each case with the next upper carrying case. The outer rowsof bottles of each case There will be a definite interlock betweencases, but at the same time sufficient provision for one case to slideupon the next lower case so that the total of the stacked cases is not arigid column. In other words, by interlocking only the center group ofbottles with the next above carrying case, there will be sutficientfriction between the bottles and the next case to interlock them andhold them in position, but at the same time there is provision forslippage between the two cases such that there is not the eifect of acolumn which would tip if one case is pushed. It has been found that byinterlocking all but the outside rows of bottles with the next abovecarrying case that there is sufiicient interlock and yet suificientslippage between the cases to prevent column tippage.

In FIGURE 2, there are nubs or projections 33 which are positioned onthe struts 18 either at the point of intersection of the struts or onthe strut itself. As shown in FIGURE 2, the nubs 33 are randomlypositioned. However, they may be aligned in a pattern. Besides the nubs33 there are further nubs 4t) which are preferably half as long as thenubs 33 and which are also randomly disposed about the base !12. Again,the nubs 49 may be aligned in a pattern. In any event, it is to be notedthat both the nubs 38 and the nubs iliwill only interlock with thecenter rows of bottles in a carrying case. For example, assuming thatthe case in FIGURE 2 holds 24 bottles, the outside rows of bottles bothlongitudinally and laterally will not interlock with the next abovecarrying case. The area around the periphery of the bottom is flat. Theprecise number of nubs is not important as sufficient nubs must beprovided for a center interlock. For example, in a twenty-four bottlecarrying case, it has been found that a total of forty-eight nubs, suchas the nubs 38, and a total of thirty-six nubs, such as the nubs 4t),are sufficient. These nubs are equally divided among the four quadrantsor four sections of the carrying case.

As a specific example of the size of the nubs, in a twentyfour bottlecarrying case, the nubs 38 may project of an inch and the nubs 4% mayproject of an inch.

In order to interlock empty carrying cases, the base has a recessed areaor slot 42 which has a size and shape to accommodate the recessed area21 of the sides or body. This interlock is clearly shown in FIGURE 4.The slot or groove 42 is formed in both the inner rib 3t) and in theedge of the base adjacent this rib.

The use, operation and function of the invention are as follows:

Shown and described herein is a pop bottle carrying case having improvedmeans for interlocking one case with the cases both above and below itsuch that the stack of cases will not tip, as a column. In particular,the invention relates to providing sutficient interlock to hold thecases in alignment and yet sufiicient slippage between the cases toprevent a column of cases from being rigidly and unyieldingly connectedtogether. When each and every bottle is interlocked with the next abovecase, even though each individual bottle may by itself be able to moveslightly within the case, the cases are, in effect, rigidly connectedtogether. The number of nubs or projections on the bottom of each caseare limited so that the outer rows of bottles are not interlockedwiththe next above case. The inside bottles hold the cases together, butpermit suflicient movement between cases to eliminate the column effect.

The particular means for interlocking the bottles of one case and thebottles of the next above case, are nubs or projections .on the bottomof the case. These nubs are preferably randomly positioned, such asshown in the drawings, although they may be aligned in a definitepattern.

The nubs may all be the same size or they may be in different sizes. Asshown in the drawings, the nubs are in two different sizes, one twice aslong as the other.

A further and important feature of the invention is the recessed ends onthe body which strengthens the body adjacent the handles. When a case islifted, the area around the handles, and in particular the area directlyabove the handles, receives the entire weight of the case. By recessingthese areas of the body, the body is substantially reinforced in theweight supporting areas.

A further feature of the invention is the means for interlocking emptycases. The base is recessed or grooved at each end at areas generally inalignment with the inwardly recessed body areas. When the empty casesare stacked, the inwardly recessed body areas fit into the grooves 0rslots 42 in the base, thus interlocking the cases.

Whereas the preferred form of the invention is shown and describedherein, it should be realized that there are many modifications,substitutions and alterations thereto within the scope of the followingclaims.

I claim:

1. In a carrying case for pop bottles or the like, a somewhatrectangular base, an upstanding body around the base and connectingthereto to define a generally open top container, opposite ends of saidbody having handle openings with defined areas of said ends above thehandle openings, inwardly spaced from the corners of the body, beinginwardly recessed, said base having a groove at each end of the generalsize and shape of said defined recessed areas and in general alignmentwith the recessed areas of said body so that said cases interlockthrough the combination of said grooves and recessed areas when stackedin the empty condition.

2. The structure of claim 1 further characterized by a plurality ofdownwardly extending nubs on the bottom of said base, said nubs beingrandomly positioned on said base under all but the outside rows ofbottles.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,019,722 11/35Neumeyer 220-97 2,063,390 12/36 Lindcll 200-97 2,535,493 12/50 Geiber220-97 2,655,283 10/53 Moldt 220-97 2,979,222 4/ 61 Levine 220-213,445,863 7/62 deChelbor 220-21 THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner.EARLE J. DRUMMOND, Examiner.

1. IN A CARRYING CASE FOR POP BOTTLES OR THE LIKE, A SOMEWHATRECTANGULAR BASE, AN UPSTANDING BODY AROUND THE BASE AND CONNECTINGTHERETO TO DEFINE A GENERALLY OPEN TOP CONTAINER, OPPOSITE ENDS OF SAIDBODY HAVING HANDLE OPENINGS WITH DEFINED AREAS OF SAID ENDS ABOVE THEHANDLE OPENINGS, INWARDLY SPACED FROM THE CORNERS OF THE BODY, BEINGINWARDLY RECESSED, SAID BASE HAVINGA GROOVE AT EACH END OF THE GENERALSIZED AND SHAPE OF SAID DEFINED RECESSED AREAS AND IN GENERAL ALIGNMENTWITH THE RECESSED AREAS OF SAID BODY SO THAT SAID CASES INTERLOCKTHROUGH THE COMBINATION OF SAID GROOVES AND RECESSED AREAS WHEN STACKEDIN THE EMPTY CONDITION.